From Shadow to Shadow
by Bloodhawk 248
Summary: Instead of brainwashing Titans East, Brother Blood was defeated for real. Cyborg makes the same decision, only this time he sticks with it. And as the search for a new Titan begins, Robin's past and future begin to converge in a most alarming manner as the time to finally step out of his mentor's shadow emerges. Hey, at least he won't be going at it alone.


A/N: Alright, first Teen Titans story! A few quick notes: this is meant to be based in the Teen Titans cartoon, but some events like Robin's split from Batman will be inspired, though not taken completely, from BTAS. This fic will focus very heavily on the Bat family as it might be in the Teen Titans universe, but I'm going to ensure the Titans aren't sidelined. May feature a Marvel crossover, may not. Probably won't feature stuff from Teen Titans Go the comic book as I haven't read that.

This is basically an alternate take on the show, diverging from Titans East. What if Brother Blood had actually been defeated and Cyborg had more time to think about branching out from the team? Since Titans East was an absolute disaster without him, I thought it was an interesting branch to explore, though it'll focus more on the impact of Cyborg's departure from the Titans rather than his new team. We had enough of that in canon, though there'll be some appearances. One last note: some of the dialog is lifted from the episode. Not all of it is, but the conversation takes about the same turn, so it shouldn't be too jarring.

Alright, enough chatter. I hope you enjoy the fruit of my labors, or if you find it bad, at least entertained by its badness. Here we go!

* * *

"_You have a choice. Live or die. Every breath is a choice. Every minute is a choice. To be or not to be."_

_- Chuck Palahniuk_

Victor Stone, known more commonly as Cyborg, stood in the middle of the cavernous, empty common room of the East Tower. Wires sparked under his fingertips as he deployed a miniature fusion torch to solder them together. Once they were properly fused, he arranged them in an orderly bundle and shut the panel over it. He flipped a switch, and the darkness shrouding the common room vanished as high-powered lights activated, flooding the room with illumination.

"Good," he murmured, flipping the switch back off, "at least something in this tower works." Despite appearances, he wasn't talking about the building's machinery.

The Titans East were a good bunch. With the exception of Mas y Menos, they all had at least four or more years of crime-fighting under their belts. Bumblebee was an excellent strategist, Speedy an incredibly versatile combatant, and Aqualad very useful for crowd control and aquatic environments. The speedy twins were no slouches either, and he'd seen how useful their talents could be.

But they were a mess. Speedy especially loved to preen and primp, which annoyed Bumblebee, who thought he was too lazy. Speedy of course saw nothing wrong to this, which led to shouting matches between them that eventually drew in the twelve year-old twins and even the relatively cooler-headed Aqualad. There was no clear leader, and because of that the Titans East squabbled and bickered at almost any opportunity. There were times when Cyborg had hated Robin's easy, almost arrogant style of command, but it was definitely better than this chaotic bunch masquerading as a team.

Aqualad's offer still echoed in his mind. In good conscience he should refuse it, but he'd seen what the team could do when a firm guiding hand held the reins. They could be great, but they needed a leader, someone who could show them the ropes of working together until they could get it themselves.

And why not him? He loved the Titans, loved his place with them, but he didn't want to be stuck there forever. He needed to grow up, mature into a hero he could be proud to be. What better way to do that than to have his own team?

No point in putting it off; he had to decide something. Robin wanted him back, but the Titans East needed him. There was a difference, one that the man and machine in him both agreed on.

The main display was already active due to diagnostics he'd run earlier in the day; it was a simple matter to call Titans Tower. It was the only number recorded in the system. Not surprisingly, Robin's face appeared, domino mask slipped over his eyes like always.

"Cyborg. Good." The Titans' leader was as business-like as usual. "We need you back at home." He paused. "What took you so long?"

"We had some trouble," Cyborg replied. "Brother Blood attacked the tower. He brought some friends." It was his turn to pause. "He had an army of cyborgs, Robin. He copied me."

Robin's only response was a slow nod. "I'd suspected as much."

The wheels in Cyborg's mind ground to a halt. "You did?"

"Telepaths often display greater intellectual capacities than ordinary humans. It's not surprising he would have a photographic memory."

Cyborg scowled. "Well, maybe to you. You ever think of telling me about this?"

"It was only a hunch. I didn't want to bother you."

"When it directly affects me, I think I'd like to be bothered!"

As ever, Robin's expression was unreadable. "We had no leads on Blood and we were needed here in Jump. There was no point wasting resources on a wild goose chase."

Cyborg jabbed a metallic finger at the screen. "Well maybe if you had _told _me, we could have prevented this entire mess from happening in the first place!"

"Maybe," the arch of Robin's brow said _no_, "but the point's moot. Professor Chang has escaped from prison. We need your expertise."

It was now or never. Cyborg's human eye narrowed; the mechanical one dimmed slightly.

"I don't think so."

That damnable mask hid any revealing eye movements, but Robin's mouth thinned.

"What," the word came out flat, more of a statement than a question.

"The Titans East need me, Robin."

"We've been over this. We need you-"

"No, man. They need me more."

"Explain." Still in the same flat, emotionless tone.

Cyborg half-turned, one shoulder away from the screen. "You weren't here, Rob. You didn't see them. They're a mess. It's their first time as a team, and they've got no idea how to handle it."

"As I recall, we were in the same situation and we turned out fine."

"It's different," Cyborg said quietly.

"They put Blood in jail while you were unconscious. That's no mean feat." Robin's words were still flat, but now the tone dropped slightly, conveying something else. He sounded almost bored, as if he was indulging Cyborg and waiting for the conversation to end.

Anger sparked, hot in his chest. Did Robin think he was just acting out? That if he waited long enough and kept talking he could convince Cyborg to come back?

"I'm decided, Robin. I'm not coming back."

The Boy Wonder's face twisted, a scowl warping his mouth. Cyborg felt a dark satisfaction at his leader - _ex- _leader -'s outburst. Robin hated to be caught out like that.

"If you're going to do this, at least tell me why."

"I already told you." Cyborg let some of his impatience creep into his voice. "They need me more than you do."

"That's not the only reason." Robin had abandoned his bored facade. He leaned toward the screen, gloved hands against the counter and face intent. "There's something else."

The half-metal teen let out a sigh. "This is my chance, Robin. My chance to grow up. I'm not a kid anymore. I know I can do this, and do it well. I've got my own tower, my own team."

"You're already on a team. My team." Robin's brow furrowed. "Or are we not good enough for you anymore? Does 'growing up' mean you're going to leave us behind? Are you suddenly tired of taking orders from me?"

The anger that had been simmering suddenly flared up into an inferno.

"It's not about you, Robin!" One metal fist crashed down onto the panel again, leaving a sizable dent.

"No," Ice coated the Boy Wonder's words. "It's about you. It's about what you want, instead of what's best for the team."

Cyborg growled. Robin was turning this around on him? It was his fault for wanting to take charge of his life?

"I'm. Staying." He bit out. Robin's head jerked back as if he'd been slapped. The sight gave Cyborg a flash of dark pleasure. The two stared at each other for a long moment, letting static crackle over the connection.

"You should probably start looking for recruits," Cyborg said finally. "Also think about asking Batman for a Birdmobile or something, 'cause the T-Car's staying here. I'll be over in a while to take the T-Ship once I've built the facilities it needs."

Robin didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

"See you around, Bird-Boy."

A quick push of a button ended the entire sorry conversation, and Cyborg sat down, tired. He felt drained from the argument, but also as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was free now, to make his own choices. To make his own mark on the world.

A yawn burst out from his jaw, and he decided it was time to turn it. Combat practice started at 0600 tomorrow...well, today, and it would look bad if he couldn't stay awake.

* * *

The Boy Wonder slumped back into his chair, rubbing a hand across his forehead. It would be an understatement to say that the conversation had not gone as expected. He'd miscalculated.

When he'd sent Cyborg to the Titans East, he'd never expected that the half-human teen would want to stay. In hindsight his error was obvious; Cyborg was a natural leader, which was the reason he usually served as the Titans' second-in-command. Robin's mistake was in forgetting that his friend needed to stand out. Cyborg always wanted to prove himself; that was why they butted heads so often. Of course that desire couldn't be indulged when Robin was still in command of the team, but that didn't mean he was exempt from blame. People often told him he was arrogant and took too many things for granted. When they really wanted to rile him up, they told him he was just like his mentor.

If he was honest with himself, Cyborg wasn't the one being selfish. He was.

He'd built the Titans from the ground up. At a time when he so desperately wanted to stand out from the shadow of the Bat, they were a way to make the name of Robin known for something other than the Dark Knight's little tag-along. It had taken a while, and a lot of experimenting, but now the Titans were a household name, even outside Jump City. They were his team, every one of them.

And Cyborg had thrown that away.

He let out a sigh, dropping hands to knees for a moment. He was more like his mentor than he cared to admit, but what's done was done now. Cyborg had moved on, and now he had to as well. There was a vacancy that needed to be filled, He'd let the team know later; it was late and he would have a chore rousing them from bed. It could wait until morning, but there was something else that didn't have to.

He hesitated briefly over the keyboard, then quickly typed in a phone number, a number he hadn't dialed for almost two years and sat back as the call tone beeped. His fingers drummed nervously on his thigh, and he stilled them quickly.

"_Hello?"_ The screen didn't light up like it had with Cyborg; this was a phone call instead of a video feed. The voice that answered was groggy with sleep, but instantly familiar to Robin.

"Hey Barb," He tried a smile, even knowing she couldn't see him. The line went silent for a long moment.

"_...Dick?"_ The sleep vanished from Barbara Gordon's husky voice. _"Is that you?"_

"Yeah," the smile became real at the incredulity in her voice, even knowing what would happen next.

"_Richard John Grayson! I cannot believe your nerve!_" Barbara's voice rose, very real anger in its tone.

"Barb-" he tried, knowing it was futile.

"_Three years!" _the voice over the phone screeched, _"three years since you just up and left without a single word! What were you thinking?"_

Robin gave up and let the tide of vitriol wash over him. It wasn't like he didn't deserve it, after all.

"_I had to learn from a _newspaper _that Robin moved to Jump City! You never answered my calls, and when I went to Bruce he told me not to bother with you!"_

Behind his mask Robin winced. That...had not been a good time for him.

"_A-and now you just call me up in the middle of the night, casual as you please, like I haven't been worrying about you since you left!"_

He waited for her rant to resume, and when she sniffled instead he let concern color his voice. "Barb? Are you alright?

"_No!"_

"I'm sorry," Robin offered, knowing how pathetic it sounded. Silence reigned over the phone line for the next few moments, the only sounds being their breathing.

"_Why did you do it, Dick?" _Barbara's voice dropped far below its previous discordant high; now it was little more than a whisper.

Robin hesitated for a moment. How to put his turmoil into words, words that would let her understand?

"You know most of it," he began, "I couldn't stand being in his shadow anymore-"

"_Not that, Dick!" _His old friend's voice cracked like a whip before resuming its softer tone. _"Why didn't you _tell _me?"_

The Boy Wonder winced again. That was one question with an easy answer, though not as easy to articulate. Best to do it bluntly, Barbara Gordon deserved the truth.

"I couldn't handle it," he answered softly. "After I screamed in Bruce's face and stormed out of the mansion, I couldn't wait to get out of Gotham. It was his city, and everything in it seemed to remind me of him; hell, the stop signs reminded me of the times he'd hung crooks and thugs upside-down from them! And you..." he trailed off, "you were more than just a traffic sign."

"_Comparing me to inanimate objects. You sure do know how to flatter a girl, Grayson." _Barbara's reply carried a certain rueful cheer. _"So you were afraid of me?"_

"Terrified," he responded.

"_Dick, I would have listened. I would have understood; you know I disagreed with him too. Remember the Lowinksi case?"_

"How could I forget? You were furious when he broke the guy's knee and dangled him out the window in front of his kids."

"_I know he can be hard to deal with, but you didn't have to run off."_

"Maybe not," Robin said slowly. He'd often wondered that himself, yet always came to the same conclusion. "But I think I needed a change of venue."

Barbara fell silent on the other end of the line. Then,

"_Was it me?"_

Though she couldn't see it, Robin's face blanched. "What? No! Why would you think that?"

Barbara chuckled gently over the phone. "_I didn't think it was, but you know a girl has to be reassured sometimes."_

"Barbara," Robin said, taking care to infuse each word with sincerity, "you had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. You're the only reason I stayed as long as I did."

"_That, and you liked the pixie shorts." _Barbara teased.

"No comment," Dick replied, a smile curving his lips. It was all coming back to him, the old banter that had made every conversation such a pleasure. "But seriously, Barbara. Maybe I needed to leave but I didn't have to cut you out. I should have called, maybe even dropped by a few times." He exhaled quietly. "I'm sorry."

"_You jerk," _Barbara's words carried an undertone of fondness, _"when Mister-I-Know-Everything- Dick Grayson apologizes, how am I supposed to be angry?"_

"That's my master plan, you can't," he replied cheerfully, even as he felt the weight lift from his chest. "I _was _apprenticed to the World's Greatest Detective for most of my life, you know."

"_So was I, and right now my detective instincts are telling me you didn't call just to get this off your chest, though I do appreciate you humbling yourself for my benefit."_

"It needed to be said," Robin said seriously, "but I do have a bit of a favor to ask you."

"_Fire away, short pants."_

"I didn't choose that outfit, you know," The Boy Wonder said, feigning a pout. He wondered at this, at how easily it was to talk to Barbara when he could barely unbend enough to interact with his fellow Titans. His social skills still needed work, another part of the Bat's legacy. At any rate, it was time for business. "One of my Titans quit the team, so I'm thinking of starting the search for a replacement. I was wondering if you could use the Batcomputer to look up any possible candidates."

"_About that," _hesitancy colored Barbara's voice, _"I don't...moonlight in spandex anymore."_

"What?" Robin arched a brow. "Did Bruce kick you out or something?" Despite his casual tone, he couldn't conceal a slight growl in his words.

"_No! Bruce wasn't involved; in fact he asked me to stay but...it wasn't really the same without you around."_

"Barb..." All the levity he'd constructed crashed down around him as he realized how badly executed his departure from Gotham had been. Barbara had been his best friend for the longest time; they'd been drawn together even before they had discovered each other's heroic alter-egos. There were no secrets between them. To have hurt someone so close to him so badly without even realizing...it was just like Batman to walk away and let someone else pick up the pieces.

"_Dick?"_

"Yeah...Sorry, Barb. For everything."

_"Oh, don't get sappy on me. The first time was great, but now it's starting to get weird." _There was a note of forced humor in his old friend's voice. _"But no worries. I may not wear the cape and cowl anymore, but I'm doing much better in the information department these days. I'll run the search, see if I can dig up anything."_

Robin started to thank her, but she cut him off. _"One condition, though: you let me come to Titans Tower. I want to meet your new friends."_

He didn't see how that could hurt. "...Alright."

"_Great. I'll have the info over to you as soon as I get it myself. In the meantime, do something about your hair. I mean, seriously, I've seen stray dogs who look neater than that atrocity you call a hairstyle." _Before he could protest, she hung up.

The dial tone sounded as he rested his hands on the console and laughed. It was just like her to get in the last word. She hadn't changed, but he wondered if he had. Robin might be fearless and collected, but Dick Grayson could never really open up even to those closest to him. He had been afraid that the shadow of the Bat was too vast to ever really step out of, but maybe he was wrong.

With a lighter heart, he exited the room and headed off to bed.


End file.
